Ashad's heart hammered against his ribs long after Ahmed Mamo delivered that chilling, final instruction. Needing a moment to clear his head, he stepped out onto the balcony, hoping the crisp night air would dull the panic rising in his chest. In the distance, plumes of dark smoke spiraled into the sky. The frantic screams and desperate cries for help that had echoed hours ago had finally vanished. A heavy, unnatural stillness had settled over the neighborhood. On the surface, it felt as though everything had gone back to being right—but the roaming silhouettes of blood-soaked creatures in the shadows below told a different story.
As Ashad looked down toward the driveway, his stomach dropped. His car was completely gone. Someone had stolen it.
"Asshole!" Ashad growled, slamming his fist violently onto the concrete railing.
Saad slipped out onto the balcony behind him, his dark eyes wide with caution. "Calm down, girl! Those things aren't deaf. They can hear you if you keep shouting!"
Ashad exhaled sharply, trying to control his temper. "Yeah, but some bastard actually stole my car!"
"Look, neither you nor any of us can do anything about it right now," Saad said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Just relax."
Before Ashad could reply, a stern voice cut through the dark. "Go to sleep, both of you. You have a heavy mission ahead of you tomorrow."
They turned to see Waleed and Karim stepping onto the terrace to take over the watch. Karim nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Waleed is right. You two need to get some rest while you can."
Accepting the orders, Ashad and Saad headed back downstairs to Saad's room. As they climbed into the bed, Ashad couldn't help but groan. "I seriously can't believe I have to share my bed with you." Saad simply flipped the blanket over his shoulders, and within seconds of lying down, the sheer exhaustion claimed Ashad. He drifted into a deep, unbroken sleep.
Ashad woke up at precisely 4:45 AM, an hour before the Fajr prayer. He rubbed his eyes, surprised to find that the heavy fatigue in his limbs had completely vanished. Slipping out of bed, he went into the bathroom, splashed cold water onto his wheatish-brown face, and carefully performed his Wudu. Walking out into the central hallway, he found Ahmed Mamo and Areeb still fast asleep on the temporary bedding.
His feet guided him toward Mahnoor's room where the women and children were resting. He slipped inside quietly, his eyes finding little seven-month-old Sonia. Moving at a snail's pace so as not to wake her, he gently scooped the baby into his arms. He pressed a soft, lingering kiss onto her forehead, his heart swelling with a protective ache.
"Oh Lord of the here and the hereafter," he whispered into the quiet room, "please protect the innocent children of this world. Don't let their childhood turn into something painful."
He laid her back down with utmost care and slipped out, making his way back to the rooftop. There, he found Waleed and Karim huddled by the ledge, speaking in low whispers.
"You both should go get some rest now," Ashad said, stepping into the dim twilight.
They turned, startled. "You woke up so early, Bhai?" Karim asked.
"Yes. That sleep was more than enough for my account," Ashad replied, adjusting his collar. "Go on inside, I'll take over the watch until dawn."
Waleed let out a massive yawn, rubbing his eyes. "Well, thank goodness. I am so exhausted that I'll probably start vomiting if I stay up any longer." Karim agreed, and the two tired young men headed downstairs to crash.
Left alone on the roof, Ashad reached into his pocket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He slipped one out, but just as he was about to place it between his lips, the fiery look in Mariam's eyes flashed through his memory. He stared at the cigarette, remembered the sacred promise he had made her, and resolutely crumbled it in his hand. Pulling the entire pack from his pocket, he tossed it over the roof ledge, fully intent on keeping his word.
With his hands empty, the isolation began to weigh on him. Alone with his thoughts in the fading darkness, his mind began to spiral into unnecessary tension, spinning worst-case scenarios. Will our mission be successful? Will we make it back home safely without losing anyone?
He shook his head aggressively, forcing the dark thoughts away. "When will you stop thinking about the worst situations and creating useless stress for yourself?" he muttered under his breath.
Taking a deep, stabilizing breath, he sat down on a plastic chair to rest. A moment later, a tiny figure emerged from the stairwell. It was little Hasan, rubbing his eyes with his small fists.
"I'm not tired anymore, Ashad Bhai," the boy mumbled.
Ashad's heart completely melted, the suffocating tension evaporating in an instant. He smiled warmly, beckoning the boy over. "Alright then, come sit with me. Let's talk, but we have to keep our voices very quiet because everyone else is sleeping, and we..." He trailed off, tilting his head to let the kid finish the sentence.
Hasan grinned, completing it perfectly. "...and we don't want to disturb those who are sleeping!"
"Well done!" Ashad praised, holding up his palm. "High five!"
Hasan happily smacked his tiny hand against Ashad's.
"Why are you awake so early anyway, Hasan?" Ashad asked as the boy settled onto the seat beside him. "Nothing much, I just wasn't feeling tired anymore. And besides, why wouldn't I want to talk to my absolute favorite little cousin?"
"Does that mean Hussain is not your favorite, Ashad?" a playful voice asked from the doorway.
Mahnoor stepped onto the roof, looking for her son. Ashad quickly raised his hands in defense, a charming grin on his face. "No, no! I was just about to say Hussain's name next. After all, they are the sons of my favorite cousin and the most beautiful girl in the world!"
Mahnoor smiled, shaking her head. "Well, aren't you quite the flatt—"
BOOM!
A deafening, violent explosion shattered the morning air, detonating barely twenty to thirty meters away from the house. The shockwave rattled the concrete beneath their feet. Hasan let out a sharp gasp, about to scream, but Ashad's lightning-fast reflexes kicked in—he clamped his hand firmly over the boy's mouth to muffle the sound. Mahnoor dropped to the floor in pure terror, her face draining of color.
Within seconds, the rooftop door flew open. Waleed, Karim, Ahmed Mamo, and Anees came sprinting out, weapons raised.
"What happened?!" Ahmed demanded, his eyes scanning the smoking horizon.
Mahnoor, shaking with fear, scooped up a terrified Hasan and hurried back inside the stairwell for safety.
"I don't know!" Ashad replied, standing up. Sweat was pouring down his face, his breathing heavy and ragged. "There was no sound of a jet or a bomber plane... it came from the ground." Fear gripped his chest as he added, "Wasn't there a gas station down that road, if I remember correctly?"
"Yes, there is," Karim replied grimly. "Or... there was, I should say."
Anees peered over the ledge, his sharp eyes locked on the rising flames. "I think a turf fight is going on over there between survivors."
Ahmed immediately began ushering the boys back toward the door. "Let us get inside right now. I don't want those things, or whatever desperate people are out there, to spot us and descend on this house like a thunderstorm!" They rushed inside, slamming and locking the rooftop door securely.
By 6:00 AM, the core team stood circled around the table in the central hallway, ready to move. The atmosphere was thick with adrenaline.
"Are you all ready?" Ahmed Mamo asked, adjusting his glasses.
A chorus of determined "Yes!" echoed from the men.
"Excellent," Ahmed began, leaning over the map. "The mission is simple, but our very first and most crucial task is this: we have to reach that supermarket first."
"Quite simple," Anees nodded, tightening his grip on his heavy wood bat.
They gathered at the main door to say their final goodbyes to the terrified family. Ashad walked over to his mother, gently taking baby Sonia into his arms one last time. He hugged her close, whispering into her tiny ear, "I'll return soon, my life."
Setting her down, he turned to his sister Tania, who was quietly crying. Ashad gently reached out, wiping the warm tears from her face. "Don't cry, Tania. I will be back in a matter of minutes. Neither sadness nor tears suit your beautiful face. Relax, okay?"
Finally, he turned to his younger brother, squinting playfully. "And you... wait, who are you again?"
Ayaan rolled his eyes hard. "Seriously, Bhai? You had to pull the 'I'm invisible' joke right now? You only have terrible Dad jokes to tell!"
Ashad grinned, tossing a subtle glance toward Mariam. "Well, you're right. After all, I am going to be a father soon... if I survive to get the time!"
Mariam fixed him with a fierce, dangerous glare, though a nervous smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Well, gentleman, you better wish you don't return back at all—because if you survive out there but don't bring back what we need, you definitely won't survive in here!"
Ashad stepped closer, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Then I am one hundred percent gonna survive out there, because I am highly familiar with facing risk and danger."
Mariam let out a soft laugh, but as Ashad stepped back, he noticed fresh tears pooling in her beautiful dark eyes. His heart twinged. "Please don't... not now, please," he murmured softly. "Otherwise, I won't be able to focus on my duty out there."
He turned back to his mother. "Please make Dua for us, Ammi."
Ayesha placed her hands on his cheeks, her eyes fierce with maternal love. "You are always in my prayers, my son. Always."
Nearby, Areeb turned to their silver-haired grandmother, Farhat, asking for her ultimate blessings. The elderly matriarch smiled with a deeply emotional, bittersweet tone. "If your grandfather, Sajjad, were alive today, he would be so incredibly proud of how you boys are putting your lives at risk to protect this family."
Ahmed Mamo took a deep breath, checking his watch. "Now, listen to me carefully, everyone left behind. Barricade this door the second we step out. Keep your ears open and your eyes wide." He paused, a heavy sigh escaping his chest as he looked at Uncle Haseeb. "It could happen that some of us may not return. I pray to Allah it never happens. But if, by some cruel twist of fate, it does... do not give up hope. Keep surviving. Do not let grief consume you, because despair can do much worse things to you than these monsters ever could."
Ahmed gripped Haseeb's hand firmly. "Protect them."
"I will do it as long as there is a single drop of strength left in my blood," Haseeb promised solemnly.
Ahmed delivered his final, absolute order: "If I die out there, Haseeb... you are the new leader."
Without giving Haseeb a chance to protest, Ahmed turned sharply and led the seven volunteers out into the crisp dawn air, slamming the door behind them.
The morning streets were eerie and desolate. Anees looked around, letting out a breath of relief. "Thank Allah that gas station explosion caused a massive distraction. It drew the bulk of the zombies over there, leaving these side streets empty."
"But we shouldn't let our guard down for a single second," Ahmed countered strictly, his eyes darting through his glasses.
Ahsan nodded, keeping his hockey stick ready. "I couldn't agree less with you, Ahmed."
"Let us use this sidewalk," Ahmed instructed, pointing to a row of abandoned vehicles. "These cars will provide an excellent line of sight and a perfect hiding position if something comes our way." They moved quickly, crouching low behind the rusted frames of the vehicles.
As they moved down the block, Saad suddenly froze, staring across the street. He aggressively nudged Ashad's elbow. "Look... the poor shopkeeper."
Ashad followed his gaze toward the market stall they had visited just yesterday. There lay the body of the shopkeeper who had playfully winked at Saad over a twenty-rupee note. A profound pang of grief struck Ashad's chest; he felt an immense weight of pain for the man's family, knowing their father would never return home normal.
Shaking off the sorrow, they pushed forward until the massive structure of the local supermarket loomed ahead. The entrance was a horrific sight. Dozens of bodies—both blood-soaked zombies and slaughtered humans—lay scattered across the tarmac.
Anees bent down, examining a nearby corpse, his brow furrowing. "Look at these wounds. There are precise cuts and slashes on these bodies. Just as you feared, Brother Ahmed... the store is already occupied by a hostile group."
Before anyone could reply, Ashad stumbled back, his face turning pale as he pointed toward a delivery van. "Look over here... there's a body of a woman and two little girls. They were just kids. They were ruthlessly killed by the people inside."
Ahsan's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with anger. "Well, whoever is inside... they are definitely human, but monsters nonetheless."
Ahmed stared at the supermarket doors, his mind working fast under his glasses. Finally, a ruthless look crossed his face. He pointed toward a heavily fueled sedan parked right near the market loading dock.
"Let's draw the bastards out," Ahmed whispered coldly. "See that car over there? We're going to make it go boom."
The elders shifted uncomfortably, their expressions dropping into deep worry. "Ahmed, this could make things significantly worse for us if a horde arrives."
But a rogue, defiant smile broke across Saad's face as he tightened his grip on his cricket bat. "And it will be absolutely epic at the same time!"
Ahmed nodded firmly, ignoring the risks. "Let's go."
Huddled behind the cover of the concrete barrier, the elders bowed their heads, beginning to pray fervently under their breath for the reckless plan to succeed.